Patriots Journal: Ex-Denver coach McDaniels says Sunday is just like any other game

Tuesday

Oct 2, 2012 at 7:00 PM

Josh McDaniels insists this is just another week for him, the next game on the Patriots’ schedule. “No, it’s the next game,” he said.

PAUL KENYON

Josh McDaniels insists this is just another week for him, the next game on the Patriots’ schedule.

That is a little surprising since it has been less than four years since McDaniels left the Patriots to become Denver’s head coach, receiving a four-year, $8-million contract in the process. Denver just happens to be visiting the Patriots on Sunday.

McDaniels, now New England’s offensive coordinator, insists it does not make the game special for him.

“No, it’s the next game,” he said. “I think there are a lot of times over the course of a season where either players or coaches on either team have had the experience of being a part of another organization or team and I think that happens rather often, I would say.

“I think it’s a big game for us because it’s the next one and [we’re] trying to build on some of the things that we did well in the last game and really emphasize trying to play well at home.”

The game also will mark the return of center Dan Koppen, who is now starting for the Broncos. Bill Belichick pointed out that going against former teams is a common happening.

“We kind of go through this every week, players on other teams — James Ihedigbo, Mark Anderson, whoever it is,” Belichick said. “There are players on other teams that have played for us. Yeah, it’s a little bit unusual, it is but it isn’t. We haven’t seen Dan Koppen in another uniform, but we’ve seen plenty of other players in similar situations and that happens. That’s the way it is in the NFL, you can find that on every team throughout the league.”

Back when the schedules came out for this season, some said the path to the playoffs for the Patriots would be easier than usual. It turns out, they may be correct.

Based on each team’s record from 2011, the Patriots were given the easiest schedule in the league for 2012. They were to face only four playoff teams from last year and three of those — Denver, San Francisco and Houston — at home. The only road game all year against one of last season’s playoff teams was the one at Baltimore.

Some dismissed the numbers because the power in the league tends to shift so much from year to year. But it turns out the Patriots do have an easier road than most, based on the first month of this season, too.

The next time the Pats play a team that currently has a winning record could be well into Christmas shopping season, Dec. 10 when Houston visits. The Pats face a lot of mediocrity, according to the records, over the next two months.

None of their opponents over the next eight week is among the 10 teams currently with a winning record.

The next five foes — Denver, Seattle, the Jets, St. Louis and Buffalo — all stand at 2-2. From that group, perhaps only Denver looks to be a strong playoff contender.

After that stretch, the Pats host 1-2 Indianapolis, then the Jets for a second time on Thanksgiving night and finally 1-3 Miami before Houston visits Foxboro. Houston and San Francisco are the only two lefts left on the schedule which currently have winning records.

Same as he ever was

There were reports at the start of the season, when Peyton Manning had interception problems, that the veteran quarterback had lost some arm strength and was no longer is able to throw deep. Matt Patricia, New England’s defensive coordinator, does not feel that is the case.

“I just see a guy who is making extremely good decisions and is doing a great job of getting the ball to the receivers that are open. I haven’t seen any issues with that whatsoever,” Patricia said. “He looks like he’s throwing the ball extremely well, extremely confident and getting it into some really tight locations and I just think it’s building every week. I think he’s just doing a tremendous job out there.”

Patricia does not feel there is a formula on how to deal with Manning.

“I think that anytime you’re trying to play Peyton Manning, you’re always trying to figure out what the best thing to do is and how to go up and challenge it and figure out how to beat him. He’s an extremely smart and intelligent football player,” Patricia said. “He has a good idea of what you’re trying to do at all times, which certainly makes it challenging.

Manning’s presence certainly has changed the Broncos’ offense.

“I think if you look at them as compared to last year they’re obviously going to have a different look,” the defensive coordinator commented. “I think it’s a system right now that’s working really well for them. Peyton is doing a good job of running things that they’re asking him to run and some of it happens to be real familiar with the stuff that he did previously. I think there’s a good mix of the Denver offense and a lot of that has to do with Peyton Manning and the quarterback.”

Best of the best

According to research by Jon Zimmer @NFLHistory.com, the Manning-Tom Brady match will mark the first time in league history that both starting quarterbacks have thrown more than 300 touchdown passes. Manning is currently third with 406. Brady is fifth with 307.

A noble cause

The Patriots will mark breast cancer awareness month at Sunday’s game. Several breast cancer survivors, including Wanda Walker, Kyle Love’s mother in law, will take part.

Also Patriots and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Andre Tippett will present a $50,000 grant on behalf of the Patriots and NFL to the Community Health Center of Franklin County through the American Cancer Society’s CHANGE program which aims to provide breast cancer screenings and early detection programming to areas of greatest need.

Fans can also learn more about breast cancer awareness and screenings at tables throughout Gillette Stadium and through announcements made during the game.

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